Cutting block employing cuttable rods

Abstract

A cutting block or pad having a laminated construction, wherein the adjacent component layers or member elements are bonded to each other, and having at least one cuttable rod member passing therethrough is disclosed. The rods extend within the interior of the block, passing through the component layers, and each rod is preferably secured in position to provide mechanical strength to the laminated structure. The rods each have a resistance to cutting less than a predetermined die damage level and preferably comparable to the component layers of the laminated construction. The block is particularly useful in connection with a clicking die.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cutting block comprising a plurality of planar members, each member having a thickness between planes small compared to its length, said planar members being assembled to form an integral laminated structure,   said laminated structure having substantially planar, broad opposing surfaces, and   at least one nonmetallic rod member extending within said laminated structure, each rod member passing through at least two of said members, and each of said rod member being comprised of a material having a resistance to cutting below a predetermined die damage level.   
     
     
       2. The cutting block of claim 1 wherein said rod member resistance to cutting is no greater than approximately the resistance to cutting of said planar members. 
     
     
       3. The cutting block of claim 1 wherein adjacent planar members are bonded to one another at their planar surfaces by an adhesive layer, and   the adhesive has a resistance to cutting approximately equal to the resistance to cutting of said planar members.   
     
     
       4. The cutting block of claim 1 wherein each said rod, at each of its ends, has means for mechanically securing the laminated structure together.   
     
     
       5. The cutting block of claim 4 wherein there are two rods, said rods extending substantially parallel to one another and parallel to the opposing planar surfaces of the laminated structure. 
     
     
       6. A cutting block comprising a plurality of planar members, each member having a thickness between planes small compared to its length,   the planar members being assembled to form an integral laminated structure,   said laminated structure having substantially planar, parallel, broad opposing faces,   each pair of adjacent planar members being bonded to one another at their planar surfaces by an adhesive layer,   at least one rod member extending through the interior of said laminated structure and passing through each of said adhesive layers,   each said rod, at its ends, having means for mechanically securing the laminated structure together, and   each said rod having a resistance to cutting approximately equal to the resistance to cutting of said planar members.   
     
     
       7. A cutting block comprising an integral laminated structure having a plurality of member elements,   at least one substantially planar broad cutting surface, and   at least one nonmetallic rod member extending within said laminated structure, each rod member passing through at least two of said member elements, and each said rod member being comprised of a material having a resistance to cutting below a predetermined die damage level.   
     
     
       8. The cutting block of claim 7 wherein adjacent planar members are bonded to one another at their planar surfaces by an adhesive layer, and   the adhesive has a resistance to cutting below said die damage level.   
     
     
       9. The cutting block of claim 7 wherein said member elements are assembled to form a plurality of integral laminated substructures, each substructure having at least one broad planar bonding surface, and   said laminated substructures are joined along the broad planar bonding surfaces by an adhesive layer to form said laminated structure.   
     
     
       10. The cutting block of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of thimble elements spaced around an outside periphery of said block, and   wherein each of said thimbles is comprised of a material having a resistance to cutting less than said die damage level.   
     
     
       11. The cutting block of claim 7 wherein each said rod has means associated with the rod ends for mechanically applying a compression force to the laminated structure. 
     
     
       12. The cutting block of claim 7 wherein said associated means are fused to said respective rod ends for permanently applying said compression force. 
     
     
       13. A cutting block comprising a plurality of planar members, each member having a thickness between planes small compared to its length,   said planar members being assembled to form an integral laminated structure,   said laminated structure having on one side a substantially planar broad cutting surface,   each pair of adjacent members being bonded to one another at their planar surfaces by an adhesive layer,   at least one rod member extending through said laminated structure and passing through each of said adhesive layers, and   each said rod being nonmetallic and having a resistance to cutting less than a predetermined die damage level.